Beabadoobee Reinvents Bic Runga’s ‘Sway’ for ‘Like a Version’

Beabadoobee has used her recent time Down Under to share a cover of a beloved New Zealand classic, covering Bic Runga’s “Sway” for Like a Version, the long-running segment from Australian radio station triple j.

Recorded during the 24-year-old singer’s latest trip to Australia as part of the Laneway Festival, Beabadoobee offered up two performances for the session, including her original “Beaches” and a take on Runga’s 1997 single “Sway”.

Originally released on Runga’s debut album Drive, “Sway” peaked at No. 7 on the local New Zealand charts and has since gone on to be considered as one of the country’s most beloved songs. In 2001, the track was ranked at No. 6 on APRA’s (the Australasian Performing Right Association) list of the top 100 New Zealand songs of all time.

“ I chose to cover this song because my mum used to play it a lot when I was growing up and I mean, she’s badass,” Beabadoobee explained in a post-performance interview. “It was just really nice seeing an Asian woman kind of playing indie music like that.

“I was scared I wasn’t gonna do it justice,” she added. “But I love this song so much and if anything, I’m doing it for my mum and she doesn’t know that I’m actually covering this song so I’m really excited. Every cover I’ve done in my career has been for my mum, so I hope she likes this one too.”

Indeed, this isn’t the first cover that Beabadoobee has delivered in recent months. Back in October, she joined the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge to share her take on Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste,” blended with a little bit of The Corrs’ “Breathless.”

The BBC performance also included a performance of “Beaches,” which was featured on Beabadoobee’s third album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves. The record has been her most successful to date, becoming her first to top the U.K. charts, and even reached No. 34 on the Billboard 200. It also hit No. 6 on the Independent Albums and Top Album Sales charts, and snuck into No. 10 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart.

Beabadoobee is also up for British artist of the year and best alternative/rock act at the Brit Awards, which will be handed out on Saturday (March 1).